Russell Brand: On Trial

Recording on assignment, military volunteer Seva weighs the cost of fallen colleagues against Ukraine’s greater ambition to liberate the entire country.
In Kyiv, Oksana expresses her horror at billionaire Elon Musk’s controversial peace plan - which involved getting Twitter followers to vote on possible outcomes — and at a world failing to grasp the threat of an apocalyptic conflict. 
Meanwhile,encouraged in part by the continued nuclear threat, Ilyas wonders about a spike in marriage nationally -
 
BACKGROUND -
 
*This week billionaire Elon Musk tweeted a poll on Twitter headlined ‘Ukraine-Russia Peace’ which asked his followers to vote yes or no to the following proposals
 
- Redo elections of annexed regions under UN supervision. Russia leaves if that is will of the people.
·        Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783.
·        Water supply to Crimea assured.
·        Ukraine remains neutral.
 
TIMECODES -
 
0.00 - Seva
3.10 - Oksana
7.00 - Ilyas
 
OUR DIARISTS
 
Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.
 
Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.
 
Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of October 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various IT projects.
 
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.
 
EP27 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer: Rob Mulhern
Editor: Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion: David Chipakupaku

In Kyiv, spooked by the threat of nuclear attack, Oksana’s close friend moves her family to western Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ilyas finds hope in what he sees as desperate Russian measures.
And Seva is left astonished by conversations with fellow military personnel on the frontlines.

TIMECODES -

0.00 - Oksana
4.45 - Ilyas
8.07 - Seva

BACKGROUND -

Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of September 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various IT projects.

Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.

Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.
 
EP26 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer: Rob Mulhern
Editor: Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion: David Chipakupaku

Military volunteer, Seva, greets news of the Russian mobilisation decree to call up of 300,000 army reservists with glee.
Thousands of miles from home Oksana finds an unexpected show of solidarity.
And in Kyiv, Ilyas reflects on the recent grim discovery of mass graveyards in liberated lands close to Kharkiv.

BACKGROUND
 
Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.

Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of September 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various IT projects.
 
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.
 
EP25 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer: Rob Mulhern
Editor: Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion: David Chipakupaku

In London, Oksana seeks out an antidote to the horrors discovered by Ukrainian forces during this week’s counter-offensive.
Returning from assignment in Ireland, military volunteer Seva makes a roadside pitstop in Poland to reflect on the Ukrainian army’s breakthrough.
Meanwhile in Kyiv, for the first time since the Russian invasion, Ilyas can see a clear road-map to victory.

BACKGROUND-
 
Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.

Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of September 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various IT projects.
 
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.
 
EP24 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer: Rob Mulhern
Editor: Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion: David Chipakupaku

Close to the front line of his country’s cyber war with Russia, Ilyas discloses some of how Ukraine’s ‘IT Army’ are waging war.
Meanwhile in London, Oksana considers the feelings of guilt that follow a protracted conflict.
Seva is away on assignment.
 
ADDITIONAL -
 
*The Starlinks service referred in Ilyas' diary is a satellite communications network provided to Ukraine by Elon Musk and Space X to maintain and support the internet. 
 
BACKGROUND -
 
Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of September 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various projects.
 
Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.
 
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.
 
EP23 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer: Rob Mulhern
Editing: Dave Terris
Digital Promotion: David Chipakupaku

Recording while on assignment for the Ukrainian army, Seva shares conversations with soldiers and friends with knowledge of the threat to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
In Kyiv, Oksana prepares for another adventure.
And estranged from his family once again, Ilyas retreats into the memories from his last visit to Poland.

BACKGROUND

Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.

Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started.
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of August 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various projects.

Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.

EP22 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.

From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.

Producer Rob Mulhern
Editing Dave Terris
Digital Promotion David Chipakupaku

In Poland combat stress bleeds into Ilyas’ peaceful surrounds,
before he steels himself to say goodbye to his family and return to Ukraine.
In Kyiv, Independence Day is marked for Seva not by traditional marching bands but a concerning phone call from his sister in Dnipro.
This week, Oksana is away.

BACKGROUND

Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of August 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various projects.

Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.

Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.

EP21 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer Rob Mulhern
Editing Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion David Chipakupaku

It’s almost six months to the day since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Throughout that time, Ilyas, Oksana and Seva have been documenting their personal lives in a country at war.

In this edition of Ukraine War Diaries they ask what the future holds for them now?

BACKGROUND

Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.
 
Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of August 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various projects.
 
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.

EP20 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer Rob Mulhern
Editing Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion David Chipakupaku

After months of war Oksana begins to experience vivid destructive thoughts.
Recording while returning from the frontline, Seva shares important news about his father.
Meanwhile, Ilyas is given clearance to make a special journey to Poland.

BACKGROUND

Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.
 
Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of August 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various projects.
 
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.

EP20 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer Rob Mulhern
Editing Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion David Chipakupaku

Seva learns that his friend is quitting his job as a lawyer to become a full-time soldier.
Returning by road from Belgium, Oksana dodges a series of air strikes.
Meanwhile, Ilyas reveals how he and fellow Ukrainians are combating the Russian disinformation war.

BACKGROUND

Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.

Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. 
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.
 
Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of August 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various projects.
 
Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.

Week 18 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note.
 
From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.
 
Producer Rob Mulhern
Editing Paul Stanworth
Digital Promotion David Chipakupaku